This invention relates to a squeeze chute for confinement of animals.
Squeeze chutes are well known and conventionally include a generally channel shaped frame structure having a head end for receiving a head of an animal to be confined, two sides each for extending along a respective side of the animal to be confined, a tail end remote from the head end. A head gate assembly at the head end is operable to move from a release position to a closed position in which the neck of the animal is grasped for confinement of the animal. A squeeze side panel is arranged along one side and is operable in a pivoting action to squeeze the animal from one side onto the other side panel so that the body of the animal is also confined. A tail gate section is often provided at the rear end to close behind the animal as it enters the squeeze chute.
Various designs of head gate are used including a design having two swing doors which can pivot from a first position facing inwardly into the chute to a closed position in which both the doors lie in a plane across the front face of the chute to an open or release position pivoted forwardly out of the chute to allow the animal to escape. It is generally necessary in such designs to adjust the spacing between the inner most vertical bars of the doors so that the squeezing action between the bars can be varied in dependance upon the width of the neck of the animal concerned.
The side panels generally include three horizontal rails at spaced positions in the height of the panel. Between the upper two rails are provided vertical bars otherwise known as drop tubes which can be detached from the upper rail and pivoted relative to the middle rail to allow access to the animal. In addition for some operations the lower part of the panel is defined by horizontal boards which can be opened or removed as required to allow access to the animal.